It
is prudently said that some people are
born great others are made great and still others become great by surmounting hurdles
in their paths by themselves. Another philosopher said that some people read
history, some teach history, some people make history and a few become history
by themselves. As per both these statements Dr. Ambedkar fell in the last
category of people who become history by overcoming all worldly barriers in his
way. There was not even a singly favourable hurdle free step in his life. There was not even a single act of his life which
did not warrant him to use his highest skills. He rarely earned anything
through favour or courtesy of others. All throughout his life he had to row
against the currents. He was born in rags and died with rupees Forty thousand
debt, bore loincloth in school , sat alone on the corner of
classroom floor many times in outside school veranda , remained thirsty for hours , hated as untouchable by his
classmates, teachers, students, follow politicians including his office Brahmin
peon. He slept on floor; lived night through on single
loaf of bread but was first to reach daily the entry gate of London Museum and
last to leave it. He was termed as poor
man’s lawyer despite his world class Law Degrees. He restored all lost hopes of
Jedhe-Jawalkar and R D Karve by winning them their cases in Poona Court. This proved Dr.
Ambedkar’s superiority as an imminent lawyer. He has earned the honour of being only one Asian among the 12 Gay’s personalities whose
portrait are displayed in the Gay’s Inn. He was called traitor by his opponents
for his caring for those to whom even God never cared. He over worked at the
cost of his health and life comforts including family life. He lost his poise
and caring wife in her youth and four children (Three sons Romesh , Gangadhar, Rajratana and
one daughter named Indu ) for want of medicines for their treatment. On the death
of his sons son his wife had to tear out a part of her sari to cover the dead
child before giving burial. But Dr.
Ambedkar never deviated from the set goal of securing honouable life conditions to his
people whom he loved even dearer to his life. They too stood by his in thick
and thin. He often said he was born to safe guard interests of untouchable and
he was prepared to offer any sacrifice. He remained awake even during nights to
see that their interests were not sabotaged. He never acted against the
interests of his country. He said in clear terms in Bombay Legislative Council
as its member in 1927 “Whenever there is a conflict between my personnel
interests and the interests of country as a whole, I have always placed the
claims of the country above my personnel claims --- when there is a conflict in
interests between country and the Untouchables, the untouchable’s interests
will take precedence over the interests of the country”. In another statement he said that he was
Indian in the beginning, in the middle and in the end. He said he was not like those who are the
Hindu, the Muslim, the Sikh, the Christian and alike first then Indian. Against
all odds he did what he thought fit for his peoples and country. He struck to
his words and fulfilled promises made with
his people. Dr. Ambedkar was convinced that Hindus shall never cherish getting
the human rights to Depressed classes people. Show of love of Hindus for the Dalits was to use them for their numbers and for
their unpaid services. Mahatama Gandhi a
Snatani Hindu to core has acknowledged that Dr. Ambedkar was the greatest Challenge to Hinduism. Dr.
Ambedkar declared in 1935 that he shall
not die as a Hindu and he full filled this promise on 14th October
1956 only 52 days before his death by
embracing Buddhism along with nearly ten Lacs of his followers . Such en-mass religion change by choice was perhaps
the only example in world history. He was opponent to religious
superstitions and rigidity. He was against none but suppression, hate and
denial of political, social, educational and economic rights to Dalits
including women. He waslower caste Mahar Dalit but adopted his surname
“Ambedkar” from his soft hearted Brahmin teacher and he re- married Dr. Sharda Kabir ( later Mrs.Savita Ambedkar)a Maharashtrian Brahmin
Saraswati bride. Some of good hearted friends, colleagues and
teachers were from higher castes, so he enjoyed confidence of all those who
stood for welfare of humanity at large. Had he not born at the right hour of
history, the present history of poor, women, unprivileged, hated Dalit
untouchables and working class people would have been completely different with
their slavery chains intact andthe Constitutional rights for millions would
have been buried deep in the free Indian soil? Whatever he did during his life
he did with conviction, whatever he spoke or wrote, it was historic truth
backed by deep studied. He remained loyal to his people and his country, the
Bharat. He never said a word against any
religion, but challenged religion based inhuman norms, “ isms” in them of hate to wards humanity more so to their own religious fellows, who did not toe
their( Brahmins) wrong convictions. He was Masiha
or saviour of poor, deprived, hated and neglected humanity. He was the only
highest qualified academician, who entered the Indian politics. Politicians of
his times proved dwarfs to his qualifications, qualities, character, labour and
steadfastness to commitments. Despite
all odds Bharat Ratana Baba Sahib Bhimrao Ambedkar was credited with such
unique qualities that whatever field he touched, he left on it indelible marks
of his scholarly intellect. He was born on 14th April,1891 in a poor
Dalit Mahar family carrying history of military service. Bhimrao Ambedkar’s
grandfather Maloji Sakhpal was a Havaldar in the British Army and his father
Ramji Sakhpal was Subedar Major in Bombay Army of the East India Company. Dr.
Ambedkar too joined service as the Military Secretary to the Maharaja of Baroda, who had granted
scholarship to Bhim for his higher studies abroad. Later Dr. Ambedkar was to be
appointed as Finance Minister of the Baroda state but the unbearable caste
based hate and prejudices forced him to soon resign. The arrogant behaviour of
a Brahmin peon with Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar deprived, the kingdom of Baroda of the scholarly services of economist of world repute. Dr. Bhimrao
Ambedkar never compromised with his self honour and honour of his people. He
preached to his fellowmen to live with dignity keeping spine erect. He
succeeded in getting legal provisions and privileges for his people in t he
Constitution of free India of which he was the Father. The worst enemy of
Dalits and women, the Practice of untouchability in any of its form was made
punishable offence in the Constitution of India. This negated the inhuman Hindu
Laws of Manu. Earlier on 25th December 1925 Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar had
burnt the Manusmriti page by page in full public view.

Dr .Ambedkar was the first in his community to
pass Matriculation Examination in 1907 .He was first Dalit to get education in
foreign lands in one of most prestigious world Universities like Columbia
University USA, London School Of Economics U.K, Bonn University in
Germany, Bar at the Gray’s Inn. He was
rare of rarest Indian who obtained M.A; PhD ; DSc.; Barrister –at- Law; LL.D;
D. Litt and many more Honorary Degrees from many foreign Universities. It is also a hard fact
that despite being a world class supper human, he was not given any befitting
honour by his Alma Mater the University Of Bombay during his life times. He was a reputed scholar in Economics,
Political Sciences, Law, Constitutional Law, Anthropology, and Religion
Philosophy. He was a great teacher also,
backed by his deep studies of the subjects he taught. Perhaps he was first among Dalits to be appointed professor ( June 1928 to
March 1929) and to occupy the chair of the Principal of the Government Law College
Bombay( Now Mumbai) affiliated to Bombay
University June 1,1935 to May 1938 where he was hated during his studies.

Dr. Ambedkar observed that the journalism
which was earlier a profession had turned into business exploitation in the
hands of capitalists. Dr Ambedkar sensed the need of a news paper of his own
and said a leader without a news paper was like a bird without wings. He was
perhaps the first Dalit to enter the
world of journalism when launched
on the Mook Nayak ( Leader of dumb) on January 31st,1920 ,on 3rd
April,1927 the Bahiskrit Bharat( Excluded
India), the Samta( Equality) the
Janta ( People) on 24th
November,1930,The Prubh Bharat ( Awakened
Bharat ). His writings in these news
papers spread his message very quickly among the depressed class masses. He stated his news papers much earlier than
Mahatama Gandhi’s the Harijan, started in February 1933.

Baba
Sahib Dr. Ambedkar was first Dalit to be awarded Bharat Ratana in 1990
posthumously after a lapse of 34 years after his death. This shows apathy of the ruling
parties towards their National celebrities.

Hardly anybody could imagine that a Mahar
Subedar Major’s 14th child Bhiva
( Bhimrao’s first name) could
one day divert the world attention towards the deplorable condition of Indian Untouchable millions,
seeking constitutional rights for them
in Round Table conferences called
by the mighty British Crown’s Government
in their heartland . Dr. Ambedkar was one of the two Untouchables who
were first to be nominated to represent the slaves to the British Indian
Slaves. Dr. Ambedkar’s courage ,
convections backed by world’s highest degrees forced the
British Crown’s Government along with Indian monarchs, politicians to listen the woes of half feed, half naked, illiterates
socially lowest of the low through their own representative who had studied
world history in foreign lands. He also warned the British to leave India soon
as they have failed to make any improvement in the, social, religious,
political, educations and economic conditions of poor particularly untouchable
millions during their rule. In the
three Round Table conference in London Dr. Ambedkar’s narrations were so
logical and force full that all eye
brows were raised to listen the plight of those who had never been represented
before, in history in any such official forum.
About his narrations news items were carried by news papers world over
with editorials written in praise of the
new found leaders of Indian untouchables. Not only Dr. Ambedkar’s views were highly
acclaimed in all world spheres but they brought dividends for Untouchable in
the future governments Of India. The
problems of untouchable were brought on world forum for finding their solutions
speedily. This way the British were made to realise their folly of siding with
the the exploiters of Dalits by giving them treatment even worst than animals.

The British were made to find space for Indian
untouchable in the future governance of India. To give political representation
to untouchables Simon Commission was established. Dr. Ambedkar’s plea before
Simon Commission with other organisations and leaders of Depressed classes was
so forceful that the British India government announced Communal Award outlining the method of reserving seats in representative bodies
with a right of duel
votes to untouchables to use in the future election. This established
the existence of untouchables as a definite and separate identity and equal
stake holders in the future constitution. Another feather in Dr. Ambedkar’s cap
was added.

On this Mahatama Gandhi backed by
Hindu reactionary forces , under took
fast unto death in Yarwada Jail Poona ( Now Pune). Mahatma Gandhi was against
granting any political rights to untouchables, saying theirs was an internal
social problems to be solved within the frame work of Hindu Verna
system. Dr. Ambedkar disputed Gandhi’s contentions by saying that if it was so,
why hate against untouchables had remained intact for centuries. Tremendous pressure was mounted against Ambedkar to
save Mahatma’s life. Therefore the Poona
pact was signed by Dr. Ambedkar under duress to save Gandhi’s life but standing
on equal pedestal with those who had denied
evening touch shadow of untouchable but to talk of granting any human right to them for centuries. Reservation
in the provincial and central legislatures, appointments in public services and
local bodies with removal of disabilities of the depressed classes were the
direct result of the Poona Pact.
Denial of double election and duel
voting as per Communal Award or separate electorates, gave a chance to upper caste political body heads
to select dummy candidates from scheduled castes and scheduled Tribes to contest the reserved seats and be a party
to denial of Constitutional Rights to the Dalit communities.

Dr. Ambedkar himself a great
lover of books and a writer with millions of readership was the first to burn the Hindu
Code book “ Manusmiriti” as Manu,
its writer claimed “It contain laws
with Divine sanction”. Dr. Ambedkar disputed Manu’s claims by saying .it
was devised to give sanctions of inhuman suppression of untouchables and women.
He was also first in the history of caste struggle to sip water of Choudar Tank ( Water Tank) by organising Satyagraha.
Taking water from Choudar Tank was banned from centuries for the untouchable
Hindus. He was hurt gravely in the melee but did not lose heart to fight law
suit instituted against him and his followers. It took him
ten years to win the law suit. To register untouchable’s just right to worship
in Hindu temples, he organised Kalaram Temple entry struggle on 2nd
March, 1930 with his follow men and women. This Dalit organised struggle was carried
for five long years but caste Hindus did not yield any ground for untouchable’s
right to worship in the Kalaram temple. Even now after nine decades of the
temple entry struggle for five years superstitious Hindus do not allow the
Untouchable to enter many of their temples.

Dr.
Ambedkar claimed Mahatama jyotirao Phule
(1827-1890) as his political guru. When Phule was convinced that illiteracy was
main reason of untouchable slavery he along with his wife Mata Savitribai
Phuley opened 18 schools in and around Poona ( now Pune) starting from
January 1st in 1848’.Some of these schools were excursively for girl students of
all castes. After a centaury of opening schools by Phuley Couple Dr. Ambedkar founded People’s Education
Society on 8th July, 1945 base on five principles namely the ideal of knowledge, the ideals
of compassion, the ideal of democracy,
the ideal of equality and the ideal of justice is parents. The primary aim of this society is to promote
higher education among the poorer people in general and Buddhists Scheduled
Castes a,Scheduled Tribes and other backward Classes in particular. The Peoples
Education Society founded “The Milind
College, Aurangabad Maharashtra” a most backward area of Maharashtra state.
Its foundation was laid by Dr. Ambedkar on 9th July,1953. The
People’s Education Society is now manning a large chain of quality educational
Institutions giving employment to thousands of youth.

A
few more fields where Dr Ambedkar was also first in his achievements

·Dr. Ambedkar was youngest of the 14th Child of his parents.

·Birth control:-In 1927 there were only three Indians who were talking about
birth control and warning that India will face consequences of neglecting these
reforms. These three people were J R D Tata, Dr
B.R. Babasaheb and R D Karve. Dr
Ambedkar locked horns with those, who in the name of tradition and religion,
opposed sex education," said historian Hari Narke. R D Karve published a
magazine called Samaj Swasthya (society's
health) from July 15, 1927 to 1953. The magazine was dedicated to sex and
health education to curve growing Indian population It preached birth control
methods .Some orthodox Puneites dragged R D Karve to court,
accusing him of spreading and encouraging "obscenity" by talking
about sex education. Dr. Ambedkar as R.D. Karve’s advocate won him the case. ( TOI
Pune City edition Apr 14, 2016,)

·Personal collection of books: 50000 (excluding the
collection of books, which were lost
when the ship on which they were dispatched from London was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine)
Perhaps there was
nobody else in the world with this much collection of personal books in
the human history?

· To challenge discriminatory rules and systems
like a Khoti System, Mahar Vatan, bonded
labour, unequal wages to women workers, long hours of labour in factories or
houses on nominal wages, non existence of maternity leave for women workers,
non entry of depressed classes students into
government funded education institutions, non employment of depressed class persons in
higher posts in government services, non
payment for over time in factories.

· To advocate of nationalisation of agriculture,
land to be vested in government, paid maternity leave, political rights to
depressed classes people, paid over time
in offices and factories at the double rate of normal wages, no religious interference in government affairs and such other government progressive measures.

· To launch a political party ( I L P) of Dalits for the Dalits and by
Dalits. He won 17 seats in 1937 Provincial Elections including 3 from general
constituencies. This was history of its sorts for Dalits to occupy the same
political pedestal as their opponents from upper

· To be appointed as Member of Viceroy’s Executive council as Labour,
Employment, CPWD Minister from among
Dalits. Dr. Ambedkar wrote the
whole text single-handedly, as a duty to parliament, in-spite of his bad health
and busy personal social service.

· To earn honour to be the Chairman of the Constitution Drafting
Committee to draft Constitution for free India.

·The First union Minister in the world
history who resigned when his drafted Bill,
Viz.The Hindu Code Bill for
rights of women was not passed by parliament due to caste and sex prejudices of
orthodox Upper Caste Hindus in and outsides of Parliament .

· He was first in history of Bombay on whose death
Bombay witnessed largest funeral procession , where over five lacs Dalits embraced Buddhism in one go.

· He was perhaps first Minister of Indian Union,
who was not allowed to address the Parliament to announce his resignation as
Law Minister Of India. The Constitution he fathered was quoted to hinder to his
last address as Union Law Minister.

·As
Labour Executive Member of the Viceroy Lord Wavel ‘s council( 1942 and 1946) . He was sworn as the Labor Member
of the Viceroy’s Executive Council in July 7, 1942. Dr. Ambedkar
did a pioneering work . Dr. Baba saheb Ambedkar believe
that caste is not merely the division of Labour but division of labourers based
upon the graded inequality. He laboured hard to framed Labour benefit laws as
an Executive Council Member. Detail of
the Laws framed during Dr. Ambedka’s tenure as member of the Executive Council Council.

·Reduction
in Factory Working Hours (8 hours duty) : Today the working hours in India per
day is about 8 hours. We do not know that how many Indians know, that Dr.
Babasaheb Ambedkar was the Savior of Labors in India. He brought 8 hours duty
in India and change the working time from 14 hours to 8 hours and became a
light for workers in India. He brought these laws in the 7th session of Indian Labor Conference
in New Delhi, November 27, 1942.

·The
original source of reference for all the 13 Finance Commission reports, in a
way, are based on Dr. Ambedkar’s P.hd thesis, "The Evolution of Provincial
Finance in British India", written in 1923.

·Laying
basis of establishing the RBI. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) came
into picture according to the guidelines laid down by Dr Ambedkar? Reserve Bank
of India was conceptualised as per the guidelines, working style and outlook
presented by Dr Ambedkar in front of the Hilton Young Commission. When this
commission came to India under the name of “Royal Commission on Indian Currency
& Finance”, each and every member of this commission were holding Dr
Ambedkar’s book named“The Problem of the Rupee – Its origin and its solution.” (VELIVADA). Despite this the Indian currency
Notes Carry Mahatama Gandhi’s Portrait on them and Rabindernath Tagore as Brand
Ambassador of SBI ,However GOI has issued set of 10 coins in honour of Dr.Ambedkar
on his 125th birth anniversary

· Restoration of Ban on Employment of Women on
Underground Work in Coal Mines,

·Indian
Factory Act.

·National
Employment Agency (Employment Exchange

· Equal wages for equal work irrespective of Sex
and caste of the labourer was brought in India.

·He inspired the Modern Buddhist Movement in India.

·Baba
Sahib Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Ambedkar was a
rare jewel and earned uncountable first in his life and after. Many surveys
have been carried world over after Baba Sahib’s death which selected him as
first among many world personalities.

·Ambedkar was opposed to
Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, which gives a special status to the
state of Jammu and Kashmir.

·Dr. Ambedkar the
Father of Indian Constitution was voted undisputed as the “Greatest Indian” in a poll Spearheaded by history
TV18 and CNN IBN. Nearly two crore voters took part in the voting. The results
were declared on 12 August 2012.

·Dr. Ambedkar the
Messiah of Dalits and oppressed world garnered the
second highest ( Next only to Mr. M.K. Gandhi, the
Mahatma) jury votes in a three pronged
process which gave equal weight -age to the popular vote, a jury and on ground poll. The poll
was conduced by A+E Networks,TV18.

·Dr. Ambedkar
‘s name was placed at serial number ONE out of the 100 most pioneering students of USA’s most prestigious Columbia University
since its start 250 years ago in2004. To commemorate this event they had
built a memorial inscribing a list of 100 pioneering students of this
university. This elite list contains names ofDr.
Baba sahib Ambedkar , Ex-Presidents of 6 different countries, 3 American
Ex-Presidents & some NOBEL prize winners.
To arrange the order of names of these very eminent pioneers , the Columbia
University had formed a committee of scholars.......and this committee proposed
to place name ofDr. Babasaheb Ambedkar
at the top ( first). This memorial stands tall and depicts the glory ofDr. Babasaheb Ambedkar& his works.

Dr.Ambedkar said“ A great man is different
from an eminent one in that he is ready to be the servant of the society”. He
himself qualified this definition.

A very handsome
revolutionary son of Mother India, Ashfaq Ulla Khan, was born on October 22nd ,
1900 at Shahjahanpur (U.P) in a
respectable & well known
Muslim family. He was son of revered
zenab Shafiq Ullah Khan and Begam
Mazhoor-Un-Nisa.His father was teacher by profession . Ashfaq Ulla Khan was the
youngest of his six children of his
father. His elder brother‘s was Zenab Riyasat Ullah Khan who was advocate by
profession. His birth was celebrated with a great pump & show. He was a
student of the Mission High school at Shahjahanpur, one class junior to another
great revolutionary Pandit Ram Parshad Bismil., a staunch Arya Samaji Hindu. From
his childhood Ashfaq Ullal Khan started
taking interest in the Freedom Movement & the activities of
the freedom fighters moved his tender mind. Both he and Ram Prasad Bismil made unparallel sacrifices
for the Indian Freedom Movement from the British yoke.

Ashfaq Ulla Khan left school during
Khilafat Movement in 1920 to devote himself fully to educate his countrymen for
the Freedom Movement. Many of his near friends advised him not to jump into
freedom movement, which was full of difficulties & sufferings including
jailed life & even death sentence. But Ashfaq Ullal Khan was made of
different stuff, who had decided to sacrifice for the freedom of his
Motherland.

To raise money for
purchasing weapons for the revolutionaries it was decided (although Ashfaq
Ullal Khan differed initially, but agreed with the majority decision) to loot a
train carrying Govt. Treasury The train was successfully looted on August 8,
1925 between Alamnagar & Kakoi stations.
Among the train robbers were Sachinder Nath Bakshi; Rajinder Nath
Lahiri; Pandit Ram Parshad Bismil & Ashfaq ullah Khan. The train robbery
sent shock waves to the British administration & praises for the
revolutionaries. Two close confidents of Pt. RPBismil leaked the information
& got arrested some revolutionaries, but Ashfaq ullah Khan escaped to Daltonganj in Bihar, where he succeeded in
getting employment in a school posing as a Hindu of Mathura. Now he wanted
to go abroad to study engineering which would further help him in the freedom
struggle. He went to Delhi for
this purpose.. But alas again a close confident Pathan friend of Ashfaq ullah
Khan betrayed & got Ashfaq ullah Khan arrested. Ashfaq ullah Khan was
brought to Lahore, tried along with Sachinder Nath Bakshi in Kakori railway
station case & sentenced to death. His advocate brother Zenab Riyasat Ullah Khan was his
defense councilor.

In an Urdu poem written from his prison cell
by Ashfaq ullah Khan with Ram Prasad
Bismil on the night of 18 December, 1928 (They were executed on 19th December 1927), he expressed his wish that despite the
fact as a Muslim he did not believed in rebirth after death, but if he meets
“Khudda” ( God Almighty) after death, he shall
make an express request to Him to grant him another births in lieu of
“Jannat” so that he could come
again and again to liberate his mother land. In this hand written Urdu poem
opening lines he said he will go empty hands with the pains that he did not
know when his country shall be liberated. A day before his death he told, to
his friends who came to see him in the cell, jokily that he was getting married
next day.

Ashfaq ullah Khan’s love
for his motherland and his commitment for its freedom from the foreign yoke can
be made out from the letter written by
him from his Jail cell to his nephews.

Translation of the Urdu letter written by
Asfaq Ullah Khan to his nephews from the Jail.

“I have been accused of loving my country
and for that crime ,I have been given
the death sentence. The only wish I have from you both is that after my
death you must read the proceedings of my case, then you will come to know to
what extent I loved my motherland as a true Muslim”.

On Monday the19th December, 1927, the
day of his execution Ashfaq ullah Khan got up early in the morning, took bath
offered Namaz & read verses from the Holy Quran. At 6 in the morning he was
taken to the altar platform for execution. He was walking carrying a Quran in a
bag hanging from his shoulder & was reciting its verses. After kissing the
noose he put it around his neck as if it was a garland of flowers. He said “I
have never stained my hands with the blood of any man. I will get justice
before God. All the charges leveled against me are wrong.” After kissing the
noose he put it around his neck as if it was a garland of flowers and was
hanged Faizabad Jail British India. His body was taken by his relatives to
Shahjahanpur to perform his last rights

Amar Shaheed Ashfaq ullah Khan
was a true freedom fighter & a great secular. He saved an Arya Samaji temple from being burnt by rioters. He said
“All places of worship, irrespective of the religion, they belong to, are dear
to life more than his life.” In his last prayer he prayed to God to bless
Hindus & Muslims with better sense so that they don’t fight among
themselves and work untidily for the Freedom Movement of the country .Er HEM
RAJ PHONSA.

Sunday, June 18, 2017

With the dawn of nineteenth century the
clouds of suppression and
ignorance on Indian Dalits started receding. This gave way to emergence of untouchable consciousness and a feeble political voice to these millions of soul covering
skeletons. The polite challenge put
to Hindu religion laws of scriptures by the Bhagti Movement Saints like Namdev, Guru Ravidas, Kabir Sahib, Guru Nanak Chokhamela started spouting now into clear resistance by their
Dalit followers. This gave way to
uprising by Dalits under the guidance of
new religious and political leaders. Emergence on the scene of the leaders like Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, Swami
Achhutanand 'Harihar', and Narayana
Guru, Guru Ghasidas Ji Maharaj, Vitthal Ramji Shinde Dr. Ambedkar and
others gave directions to the upturning masses. The roll player in this
uprising by Swami Achhutanand 'Harihar', was marvelous.

Besides being a poet, dramatist, historian and propagandist Swami Achhutanand founded the Adi Hindu
Mahasabha , an organization
of the Depressed Classes. Swami Achhutanand also founded the news paper Adi- Hindu. There was similarity in the opinions of Swami Achhutanand and Bharat Ratna Baba
Saheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar about Dalit literature and Dalit empowerment. Both worked for the cooperative partnership in associations and agitations
that took up the causes of the
Dalits. Both worked for the empowerment of Dalits believing that Dalit problem struggle was not only for equality of
political, economic status
but social, cultural, educational partnership in state finance affairs besides providing them dignified
employment opportunities.

Swami Achhutanand, a chamar( leather crafts man) by caste, was born on 6th May, 1879 at
his maternal grandfather's village Saurikh Tehsil Chhibramau District Farukhabad (U.P.) Swami Ji’s father revered Shri Moti
Ram and mother Shrimati Ram Piari. Hira Lal was his childhood name. His parents and uncle had left
the village due to some quarrel with
the Brahmins on caste basis before the mutiny of 1857. They migrated to village Umari Tehsil Sirsaganj of District Mainpuri, situated to the north-east of Agra (U.P).
Swami Ji's father and uncle went to
Denali and joined the army. His elder brother Baant Lal was subedar in army and
his uncle Kaluram too was in army. Hira
Lal’s father passed away when he
was still young and needed fatherly care. However
his uncle Mathura Prasad shouldered this responsibility. Later Mathura Prasad got elevated to the position
of Subedar in the army. Subedar
Mathura Parsad helped Hira Lal, in
his education at Nasirabad, Ajmer (Rajasthan).

Hira Lal was very
brilliant at school. But he discontinued
his education when he was just 14 years of age due to financial distress. Till then he was well
versed with working knowledge of eight Indian languages- Hindi, Sanskrit, Persian, Marathi, Bangla and Punjabi etc. He also studied deeply religious philosophy.

Hira Lal got married to Smt. Hira Bai some
sources name her Durgabai and they were blessed with four daughters (Sushila
Bai, Vidyawati, Shanti Bai, name of 4th could not be
traced). His one daughter got married to Sh. Mangal Singh Jatav of Tikonia,
Murar District Gwalior (MP). Mr. Jatav rose
to the rank of parliamentary secretary in MP government.

Swami Ji was a true
feminist rightist. His life was solely dedicated to the cause of upliftment of women and untouchables. Swami Ji
also changed his name to
"Achhutanand" derived from Achhut or untouchable". Swami Ji
lived in the hearts of illiterate, literate, poor and
rich untouchables.

After leaving school, he joined a group of sadhus
(hermits) and left for a pilgrimage with them. He was in their company for about ten years. Thereafter, he came under
the influence of swami Sachitanand
ji of Arya Samaj and Hira Lal joined him. After joining the Arya Samaj, his name Hiralal was changed
to Swami Hariharanand. During his associations with Arya Samaji’s and
their thought process Swami Hariharanand
was convinced that Arya Samaj was meant to save Hinduism nay Dalits by introducing certain minor reforms in the Hindu Society but failed to change the society radically,
his ultimate goal of life. Their
reforms in the Hindu religion were aimed at blocking conversion of Dalits to
other religions like Islam, Christianity, Sikhism , Buddhism . So he lost love
and faith in Arya Samaj philosophy. Swami
Hariharanand wanted to work towards the annihilation of Hindu Caste
system which supports untouchbility among
the Hindus. When he was
convinced that his goal cannot be achieved by mere lip sympathy, he left Arya Samaj and started Adi-Hindu movement for upliftment of the depressed Classes. Adi- means original inhabitants
of India now also called Dalit,Mulnivasi
etc. In a Shastrarth (philosophical
debate) arranged on 22 October 1921 at Delhi, he defeated Pandit Akhilanandji an arya samaji. He rightly came to the
conclusion that unless the
untouchables secured political rights, there would be no salvation for them. His name Swami Hariharanand was again changed to Swami
Achhutanand. Now he was with the other stalwarts of Adi-Hindu Movement namely Gopal Baba Warangalkar (Maharashtra), Bhagaya Reddy
verma (1888-1939) and B. Shayam Sunder both from AP and a Punjabi Chamar strategist Babu Mangoo Ram Magowalia(1886
–1980).

Swami Achhutanand a socio-religious revolutionary
founded the Adi-Hindu
Movement in unison with others to achieve equality, liberty, fraternity and justice for the under
privilege untouchable Indian
citizens. Indian government recognized the Adi-Hindu Movement in 1923. He also proclaimed his 7 main
commands of the Adi-Hindu
Movement and explained them as:

1.There is
one God, who is non- attributor (loosely meaning
universal creator , no worldly means can
attract or influence Him or He cannot be attained by observing
worldly religious rituals , dogmas, austerities ).

2.The
religion of Saints is the true religion of India.

4.All human
beings are equal. To treat someone as high and another as low is wrong. 5. All
the Gods enunciated by Brahmanism are untrue. They ought be discarded.

6. The so-called untouchables are the
original inhabitants of Bharat
i.e. India.

7. People
should be free from all passions, greed, pride and malice.

8. Their (aboriginal inhabitants’) human rihts, glorious culture
and civilization should be restored
and developed.

The main centre of the
Adi-Hindu movement was at Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh
and from here he propagated the principles of Adi-Hindu
movement in India. Sensing trouble for the Caste Hindus and their
political party Congress from the Adi-Hindu movement,
Mahatma Gandhi's son Dev Dass Gandhi called a meeting in the house of his( Gandhi’s) confidant at Kanpur where he
called Swami Ji and asked him to stop
his movement in the interests of Caste Hindus and Congress party. Dev Dass
proposed to Swami Ji certain financial
allurements as well. On this Soami Ji took out a dried loaf of bread from his pocket saying "It is worth more than, what Mr. Gandhi, you propose. I will not
compromise with the interests of my brethren". Shri Dev Dass Gandhi then
started calling Soami Ji as "Juta
(Shoe) Nand Soami" This story has resemblance to Guru Nanak Dev's refusal of rich food offered by one Dewan Malik Bhago and instead took dried poor
quality flour bread of poor
carpenter Bhai Lalo.

Swami Achhutanand was
a great rationalist of his times. He viewed any
principle and policy from utility point of view. He tried to eradicate irrationalism, sub-casteism and superstitions from among
the Depressed Classes. He advised Dalits that the caste system had been purposely supported by the foreign invaders and rulers on India therefore it should be given up.
The depressed Classes should not
accept such an ugly system, which differentiates man from man. He felt that the main objective of the untouchables

was to attain
emancipation from caste based oppression, which could be possible only by their
involvement in
gainful politics. They should be free from the yoke of Manu made Caste system. Dalits ( Castes
falling under present day SCs, STs and OBCs
catagories ) should put a united struggle for achieving their human
rights. In order to abolish sub-castes among the Dalits, he invariably used to take every alternate meal with a man of different caste. He exhorted them to abolish
sub-castes by inter sub-caste
marriages. He used to tell his people to seek help from Christians or
Muslims if needed. They should take the help of Christian missionaries to educate their children.

Previously, his own near one's had been
reluctant to accept his thoughts. When he
was in Agra for the purpose of his mission, he was driven out by the men of his own community. But later seeing his
work he became very popular among the depressed classes and attracted many people towards his movement.

When
the Prince of Wales was to visit India in October 1921-March 1922, the Congress Party decided to boycott him. However, Swami Achchutanand and his
followers decided to accord a grand welcome to him on the occasion of his visit
to Delhi. Therefore, a huge rally was arranged at Delhi on 17th
February 1922. Swami Ji submitted
written memorandum having seventeen demands of Dalits for the sympathetic
consideration of the British Crown. The
memorandum contained the following demands:-

1.The
Adi-Hindus must be given separate electorate and separate representations.For the progress of
the untouchables, government must open
schools and colleges and give admission
in them to untouchables.

2.There must
be a strict law to annihilate the untouchbility.

3.The
educated untouchables must be absorbed in the Government jobs.

5.There should be nomination of
untouchables in the municipal committees.
district boards, village Panchayat,
town areas and notified areas committees
.

6.Untouchables
should be granted liberty to do business
and shop keeping.

7.There must
be ban on forced labour.

8.There must
be equal rights for untouchables as compared to the
"swarnas or Upper caste" Hindus.

9.There must
be untouchables' representation in government and non-government committees in proportionate to their population.

10.There must
be stipends for the untouchable students.

11.There must be exclusive colleges for the untouchables where theirs population is in majority.

12.There must
be recruitment for untouchables in the police and army.

13.There
should be increase in the labour rate.

14.The chowkidars
of the villages should be
untouchables.

15.Untouchables
must be allotted land on lease.

16.There
should be representation of untouchables in the state assemblies.

17.The above
demands should be implemented in the princely states also.

In reply the Prince said that, "I thank
you very warmly for the very kind
and enthusiastic welcome which you have given me on two occasions at Delhi. I much value your
good wishes; I wish the communities whom you represent all
prosperity and well being".
(Walker David, The Prince of India 1923, P.289). As the Prince used word
Sawraj( self rule) in his address so Swami Achhutanand spoke about
his contemplated full Swaraj (Self Rule) or freedom to all and not just a few castes.
Soami Ji's Sawaraj was different
and more practical than as it was visualized by Bal Ganga Dhar Tilk and congress party. Swami
Achhutanand thought that the
communities so far deprived of human rights were really the claimants of Swaraj. Swaraj in which the untouchables had no place, was meaningless.

He was against landlordism. He criticized
the government for its policy of conferring honors on landlords who exploit the
untouchables, kill their kith and kins and attack the chastity of their womenfolk. He stressed for stopping such
honour to those who practiced in human
treatment to untouchables.

A special session of the Depressed Classes representatives from all over India was convened at New Delhi in
December 1927 to discuss the question
of reforms in view of the arrival of the Simon Commission. Swami Achhutanand was Chairman of the Reception Committee of the convention and Sh. M.
C. Rajah presided over the
convention. The convention, demanded separate electorate and increased seats in the legislatures for the Depressed Classes.

Dr Ambedkar and
Soami Ji were working for the upliftment of Dalits and both shared views on the Dalit problems and their solution. Both these Dalit emancipators met
for the first time some time in
Bombay in 1928 in Adi Hindu Samelan. There after both continued liaison and Swami Achhutanand Ji
participated in the Jatav
(Chamars) Sammelan in 1922 at Delhi and
gave some revolutionary suggestions. In 1925, he
migrated and settled at Benajhabar, Idgah,
Kanpur (UP) where Mr. Girdhari Bhagat donated
him the residential plot. He also launched the Adi-Hindu Hindi paper.

The strength of the Adi-Hindu Movement can be
gauged from the facts that in its
procession in Allahabad on 26th December, 1925 over 25,000 dedicated participants took part.
This procession was led by
Swami Ji himself with G A. Gavai (Nagpur) on monocycles followed by a sea of Dalit humanity. On 27th-28th
December 1927, a public
meeting was held, where more than 350 delegates from Punjab attended. The Pandal was
represented by delegates from, Bihar,
Rajasthan, Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Poona, Hyderabad, Bombay and other states.

In 1927 at Kanpur,
Swami Ji said in a public conference," We Dalits also demand a complete Independence as the Hindus and the Muslims demand. We are the rightful owner
of independence." Swami
Achhutanand met the Simon Commission on 30th Nov 1930 at Lucknow. His comrades who accompanied
Swami Ji were Tilak
Chander Kuril, Girdhari Lal Bhagat, Laxman Parsad, Karorhi Mall Khatik and others. Dr. Ambedkar also met
the Simon Commission with his
comrades as he was then President of Bahashkrit Hitkarini Sabha and submitted as exhaustive memorandum listing grievances and demands of the Depressed Classes. Sri 108 Swami Achhuta Nand Smark
Smiti, the memorial committee
of U.P published a copy of Dr. Ambedkar's hand written letter dated 3rd Feb. 1932 to Swami Ji, in
which Dr. Ambedkar accepted him
as his Guru. Swami Ji
also met the Lothian committee in 1928 at Lucknow.
In 1930, Swami ji sent a telegram in support of Dr. Ambedkar and Rai Bahadur
Srinivasan, the two untouchables invited to the Round Table conferences at London (UK). He also raised voice
for the "Achhutstan" or separate country for Scheduled
Castes. Swami Ji was also a signatory of the
Pune Pact signed on 24th September
1932 to ink the agreement reached between Dr. Ambedkar and Mahatma
Gandhi to solve the dead lock arisen due to
Communal Award and Mahatma Gandhi's fast unto death.

Swami Achhutanand
supported the demand of separate electorate made by Dr. Ambedkar in the Round Table Conferences. Swami ji was against the Rajah-Moonje Pact (MC
Rajah then leader of
Gandhi s Harijan Sewa Sang signed a pact with Dr. BS Moonje, leader of All India Hindu Mahasabha opposing the demand of separate electorate for the Dalit
communalities') .Soami Ji
moved from place to place and propagated against the pact. He strongly opposed the nomenclature
of Harijan given to Dalits by
Mahatma Gandhi. When Mahatma Gandhi was claiming to be the sole representatives of Dalits of India against the
right demand of Dr. Ambedkar, Swami Ji
arranged a demonstration of over 5000 Dalits at Kanpur in support Dr.
Ambedkar and for separate electorates' to Dalits.

In order to bring a
new awareness among the Depressed Classes, in 1922 he started a monthly paper "Achhut", from
Delhi. But circumstances
forced it to be closed soon. However, he again started a monthly magazine in 1922 "Prachin (ancient) Hindu".
This too continued for
a short period of one and a half year. Thereupon "The Adi-Hindu Journal" was started from
Kanpur in 1924 which continued up to 1932. He was a
philosopher-poet and a playwright. He wrote
six books in Hindi —

Swami ji was also a singer. He used to sing his own poems
or songs of new spirit which were very impressive.Swami Ji worked extremely
hard... He fell sick for 23 days and Swami Achhutanand ji left his mortal frame
breathing his last on 20th July 1933 at Kanpur at the ripe age of 54. He
was given “Samadhi” by burying him opposite PS Nazirabad Nai Zamin, Lajpat
Nagar, in Kanpur (UP).

Swami Achchutanand Harihar was convinced
that the untouchables continue to suffer social, political and economic
subjugation as long as they are Hindu. Therefore, he launched Adi-Dharma (a
religion for original race of Bharat-Native Indians) an alternative religion
for untouchables to uplift them socially, culturally, religiously and
economically. He challenged every customs and laws which placed untouchables as
lower castes in the society. While opposing Manusmiriti the following
couplet is from Swami’s composition

“Manusmriti Hamko Jala Rahi Hai” (“Manusmriti
is Burning Us”):

Day in and day out, this Manusmriti is
burning us, burning us, Not letting us climb up, it is degrading us,
degrading us,

While Brahmins and Kshatriyas are allowed to
rise and rise, “Wear your old clothes,” for us is the advice. (The
Hindu dated Sunday, Aug 03, 2008)